Kvarner: a week from Pula
Northern Croatia is a different Adriatic: fewer islands, but bigger ones, open water between them, and on shore Austro-Hungarian resorts and Roman Pula with an entire amphitheatre instead of Venetian Dalmatia. A loop of about 160 nm with real legs of 25–40 nm — and in July it is noticeably emptier here than around Split.
Day by day
Pula
- Pula44.873, 13.845
Fly into Pula — the airport is ten minutes from the marina. Handover and provisioning in town. In the evening, the 1st-century amphitheatre, the sixth largest still standing in the world and still a working concert venue.
Pula → Cres
- Cres44.960, 14.405
East across the open part of the Kvarner. The town of Cres is a Venetian harbour at the head of a narrow bay with olive terraces around it; Martinšćica bay is worth a stop on the way.
Cres → Krk (Punat)
- Punat45.020, 14.630
North through the channel between Cres and Krk. Punat sits in the enclosed bay of Puntarska Draga, all but a lake: one of Croatia's oldest marinas, with the islet of Košljun and its Franciscan monastery in the middle of the bay.
Krk → Rab
- Rab44.756, 14.760
Rab is recognisable by its skyline: four Romanesque bell towers in a row above the old town. Berth in the marina or on the town quay; the evening calls for a walk along the three parallel streets of the medieval centre.
Rab → Mali Lošinj
- Mali Lošinj44.531, 14.468
A long leg west across the channel. Mali Lošinj is the deepest natural harbour on the Adriatic and a former resort of the Viennese aristocracy: palms, ochre facades and a waterfront built for steamships.
Mali Lošinj → Brijuni
- Brijuni44.913, 13.762
The longest day, back across the Kvarner. Brijuni is a national park and Tito's former residence: a Roman villa, a safari park descended from the animals he was given, and dinosaur footprints in the rock by the water. Mooring is only at ACI Brijuni and only with a reservation.
Brijuni → Pula
- Pula44.873, 13.845
A short final leg, refuelling and handover in Pula.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Wind: a daytime maestral of 10–18 knots from the north-west in summer. The Kvarner's defining feature is the bora — a cold, squally wind off the mainland, stronger here than anywhere on the Adriatic and quick to arrive. Check the forecast every evening; in a bora the legs to Krk and Rab are cancelled.
- Brijuni is a national park: anchoring anywhere in its waters is prohibited, mooring is only at ACI Marina Brijuni with a booking made in advance, and park admission is paid separately. Without a reservation you cannot get onto the island at all.
- Berths: Kvarner marinas are cheaper than Dalmatian ones, and the quays of Cres, Rab and Mali Lošinj are nearly empty in June and September. The peak is the second half of July and August.
- The legs here are longer than in central Dalmatia, and two days cross open water with no shelter. With beginners aboard the loop is shortened by dropping Rab: Pula — Cres — Krk — Lošinj — Brijuni gives the same islands in 120 nm.
When to go and what it costs in Croatia
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Croatia
All boats in Croatia
How long is the Pula — Rab route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 160 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Pula. Overnight stops in order: Pula, Cres, Punat, Rab, Mali Lošinj, Brijuni. The longest leg is day 6, 40 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Pula — Rab route?
Croatia's season runs May to October. July and August are the peak, with the highest prices; in June and September the sea is warm and boats and berths cost less. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler, with the odd bora or jugo, but the lowest prices of the season. From November to March most of the fleet is out of the water. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is October: a median of ≈€144 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€205. The most boats with 20% off or more are in October: 76%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Croatia for a week starts from €1,200 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Croatia”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
